>Sunday Scenery 003: Phnom Oudong

Years ago, we went on a day trip to Phnom Oudong, the ancient royal capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia . It is more than 40kilometers north of Phnom Penh, or a mere one-hour and half taxi ride. It was a pleasant day trip, the countryside scenery was very relaxing compared to the hustle and bustle of the capital. As we reach the town of Oudong, we left the highway and turned to a small road that leads up to the hill called Phnom Oudong, passing through a fantastic scenery of quaint villages, lush plantations and friendly faces. Minutes later, we were greeted by this:

How is this for a different kind of view?

Oudong was the capital of Cambodia from the early 17th century and several monarchs, including King Ang Duong and his son Norodom (the forefathers of the current King Norodom Sihamoni, respectively), were crowned there. In 1866 King Ang Duong was convinced by the French to move the capital to the more strategical location that is Phnom Penh.